Tell me the story behind the photo used in the new SVA poster.

My good friend told me about a huge music video shoot at the time and said, “Grab your camera and come get some shots.” I was one of the photographers at this video shoot, which was shot over the course of five days. Some great images came of it, including this one of Whodini leaning enthusiastically into the audience, and that’s featured on the subway poster. [Whodini’s founding member and lead MC Jalil Hutchins] seemed like a nice kid and played with a talented group. The entire video was energetic, a 1980s hip-hop street-fashion explosion, a real good time.

What does the 50th anniversary of hip-hop mean to you?

My family comes from Cuba, where the music is defined by “the prominence of Afro-Cuban themes and rhythms, blended with European-style harmonies.” Hip-hop draws parallels in that the rhythms have themes and the verbal rhymes have a certain cadence in their delivery. Drums are the definitive instruments in Cuban music and it makes you naturally want to dance. Hip-hop consists of stylized rhythmic music, usually built around drum beats that someone raps over and it’s made to dance, too.

Hip-hop is an artistic expression! Grab your big boom box to hang out on the stoop with your friends, dance on the sidewalks and breakdance on pieces of cardboard boxes in your neighborhood. The 50th anniversary of hip-hop celebrates another American art form that started from humble beginnings and now has a worldwide audience, global reach and influence. It’s a real human connection.

Tell me about your studies and time at SVA.

I graduated with a BFA Illustration degree from SVA and have worked in my department for the past 30 years. I love meeting and helping the students express their appreciation for art by honing their skill sets; it’s a rewarding job.

Tell me about Cora Kennedy, who is mentioned in the poster, and what she meant to you.

She was my photography teacher at SVA, a great artist and a wonderful mentor. She was a tough and demanding teacher, but that helped me. She was a good one, so giving her a shout-out on the poster was very deserved.

I understand this photo comes from a book you are putting together of these photos and more of your work. What’s in it, and what do you hope people discover?

It’s a labor of love. I’m sharing some of my intimate photographs from that five-day shoot of Whodini’s “Funky Beat” music video, full of young hip-hop talent and R&B friends. It was a treasured moment in history that I was fortunate enough to document and my goal is to be able to share it with all who care to view it.

Features

The College’s latest poster features a 1986 photograph by longtime staffer and alumnus Angel R. Ibañez, capturing a pivotal moment in hip-hop history.